Attitude controlled valve

ABSTRACT

A flotation system including a plurality of gas/liquid ballast tanks secured to the underside of a platform and all connected to a novel gas distribution valve also secured to the platform which selectively delivers gas to the ballast tanks in such manner as to maintain the desired attitude of the platform within the liquid medium. The ballast tanks are open bottomed and function as air traps, the degree of flotation afforded to the platform being controlled by injecting or withdrawing air of other gas to respectively force water out from and take water in through the bottom of the tank and thereby control the displacement. The open bottom construction of the ballast tanks provides a self-limiting tilt feature to each tank because inclination of a tank above a predetermined critical angle causes air to spill out through the bottom and limit the flotation. The valve is a novel type of ball check valve and provides attitude control by automatically selectively controlling the ratio of gas to liquid within each ballast tank through the check ball feature, while elevation control is effected by simultaneously changing the ratio of gas to liquid in all ballast tanks. The control valve is formed with a plurality of ports spaced peripherally about the sidewall of the valve body. The upper surface of the valve body bottom wall is provided with a central horizontal platform region disposed at a level below that of each of the ports, from which the floor extends radially outward and slopes upward toward the ports. A plurality of spherical balls are seated on the central platform when the latter is in a horizontal position, and when the valve body is tilted are free to roll outward and block any of the ports disposed at a lower elevation than the central platform. The mechanism may be adjusted to provide a slope to the platform or other controlled device where such an arrangement is desired.

United States Patent [19] Madden 1 May22, 1973 154] ATTITUDE CONTROLLEDVALVE [76] Inventor: Bernard G. Madden, 860 Valley View Road, Flourtown,Pa. 19031 [22] Filed: June24,'1971 21 Appl.No.: 156,357

Related U.S. Application Data [60] Division of Ser. No. 866,196, Oct.14, 1969. Pat. No.

[52] U.S. Cl ..137/40, 4/172.13 [51] Int. Cl. ..E04h 3/19 [58] Field ofSearch ..137/40, 41, 38, 627;

114/.5 BD, .5 F, 16 E, 121, 122, 123, 52; 4/171, 172.13

Primary ExaminerRobert G. Nilson Attorney- Edelson & Udell [57] ABSTRACT-A flotation system including a plurality of gas/liquid ballast tankssecured to the underside of a platform and all connected to a novel gasdistribution valve also secured to the platform which selectivelydelivers gas to the ballast tanks in such manner as to maintain thedesired attitude of the platform within the liquid medium. The ballasttanks are open bottomed and function as air traps, the degree offlotation afforded to the platform being controlled by injecting orwithdrawing air of other gas to respectively force water out from andtake water in through the bottom of the tank and thereby control thedisplacement. The open bottom construction of the ballast tanks providesa self-limiting tilt feature to each tank because inclination of a tankabove a predetermined critical angle causes air to spill out through thebottom and limit the flotation. The valve is a novel type of ball checkvalve and provides attitude control by automatically selectivelycontrolling the ratio of gas to liquid within each ballast tank throughthe check ball feature, while elevation control is effected bysimultaneously changing the ratio of gas to liquid in all ballast tanks.The control valve is formed with a plurality of ports spacedperipherally about the sidewall of the valve body. The upper surface ofthe valve body bottom wall is provided with a central horizontalplatform region disposed at a level below that of each of the ports,from which the floor extends radially outward and slopes upward towardthe ports. A plurality of spherical balls are seated on the centralplatform when the latter is in a horizontal position, and when the valvebody is tilted are free to roll outward and block any of the portsdisposed at a lower elevation than the central platform. The mechanismmay be adjusted to provide a slope to the platform or other controlleddevice where such an arrangement is desired.

8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures III a PATEmfmmzzlm SHEET 1 BF 3 FIG. I a7 27I I I M2 as {-26 I I are 1 I II 1 T i T i 24E t I f i i l i l f an; 24F5F 24G 24H l J I l i g INVENTOR 57 BERNARD G.MADDEN WMW ATTORNEYSPATENTED 3,734,113

SHEET 2 OF 3 L 1 32 i 31 38 Q INVENTOR BERNARD G. MADDEN Fl (3. 3 BYATTORNEYS PATENTED M2219 3.7341 13 SHEET 3 0F 3 Fl 6 INVENTOR BERNARD G.MADDEN BY Z ATTORNEY ATTITUDE CONTROLLED VALVE This invention relatesgenerally to an attitude controlled flotation system, and moreparticularly the invention contemplates a novel control valve forcontrolling a device which it is desired to maintain at a given attitudewithin a fluid medium such as water while also having the capability ofvertically shifting the device and stabilizing it at any desired level,and is a division of my co-pending U.S. Pat. application, Ser. No.866,196, filed Oct. 14, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,399. Forillustrative purposes the invention is described herein as incorporatedwith a movable floor or platform of the same size and shape as theinterior periphery of a swimming pool, which floor may be raised orlowered to any desired level within the pool and thereby function tocontrol the effective water depth of the pool.

Vertically adjustable pool floors are not per se new. However, in thepast, vertically adjustable pool floor mechanisms have usually had to beinstalled when the pool was built, or have required rather extensivework and expense thereafter because of the nature of the mechanismsinvolved. For example, some vertically adjustable pool floors have beenoperated by a central piston lift requiring the construction of a pistonshaft and hydraulic system beneath the level of the pool itself. Anothersystem utilizes cable lifts, also operated from the basic structure ofthe pool. Yet other mechanisms employ jack screws at the various cornersof the pool to provide an adjustable positioning mechanism. Devices ofthe foregoing types require the use of substantial mechanical andelectrical equipment, and by their nature are subject to corrosion dueto immersion in the pool water. Such systems require extensivemaintenance and are, accordingly, not only expensive to install butexpensive to keep in functioning condition.

The apparatus according to the invention is not subject to thesedrawbacks and can in fact be installed into any existing pool with nomodification of the pool structure whatever, and can be removed from thepool whenever desired leaving no evidence of its former use orexistence. The cost of the system is relatively small by comparison withthe mechanical systems aforedescribed, is relatively inexpensivetomaintain, and includes in the illustrated embodiment a novel valvestructure and a plurality of ballast tanks as part of the operatingsystem, the valve automatically controlling the attitude and elevationof the vertically shiftable platform or floor to which it and theballast tanks are secured to maintain the floor substantially horizontalregardless of its elevated position.

In the apparatus to be described, the ballast tanks are open bottomedand function as air traps, degree of flotation afforded being controlledby injecting or withdrawing air to respectively force water out from andtake water in through the bottom of the tank and thereby control thedisplacement. The valve provides attitude control by automaticallyselectively controlling the ratio of gas to liquid within each ballasttank, while elevation control is effected by simultaneously changing theratio of gas to liquid in all ballast tanks. The mechanism according tothe invention may be adjusted to provide a slope to the platform wheresuch an arrangement is desired. Accordingly, it is a primary object ofthe invention to provide an attitude controlled flotation system for aplatform to enable the latter to be moved vertically within a fluidmedium throughout a continuous range between desired limits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel flotation systemas aforesaid including a plurality of gas/liquid ballast tanks securedto the underside of a platform and all connected to a novel gasdistribution valve device which selectively delivers gas to the ballasttanks in such manner as to maintain the desired attitude of the platformwithin the liquid medium.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel flotation systemas aforesaid in which the ballast tanks are so constructed as toautomatically allow entry of the fluid medium within which they aresubmerged when gas is withdrawn from the tanks through the valve device,and to expel the fluid medium from the tanks when gas is forcedthereinto through the novel control valve.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel flotationsystem as aforedescribed which may be fabricated relatively simply andinexpensively from molded plastic parts and thereby avoid problems ofcorrosion and maintenance.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become clear froma reading of the following specification in conjunction with anexamination of the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a typical swimming poolstructure illustrating the flotation system according to the inventionin place within the swimming pool and supported at a predetermined depthbelow the water surface;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the flotation system and supportedplatform as would be seen when viewed along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the exterior of the novelattitude controlled valve according to the invention as shown in thephantom box designated as 3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the attitude controlled valve shown in sideelevation in FIG. 3, on a somewhat reduced scale;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the valve of FIG. 3 aswould be seen when viewed along the line 5-5 thereof;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section through the novel control valve as would beseen when viewed along the lines 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view through one of the ballast tanks ofthe flotation system as would be seen when viewed along the line 7-7 ofFIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view through the ballast tank shown invertical section in FIG. 7, as would be seen when viewed along the line8-8 of FIG. 7.

In the several figures, like elements are denoted by like referencecharacters.

Turning now to the drawings and considering first FIGS. 1 through 4,there are seen the masonry sidewalls 20 of a swimming pool within theconfines of which are close fittingly suspended by a plurality ofperipherally spaced hangers 2l a platform designated generally as 22 tothe underside of which is centrally secured a hydraulic control valve 23and a plurality of peripherally disposed ballast tanks 24A through24I-I,the ballast tanks being respectively connected to the control valve 23'by hydraulic hose lines 25A to 25H.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the platform 22 is typically formed of fourparallel spaced apart longitudinally extending l-beams 26, which maysuitably be made of aluminum, to which are fixedly secured fourrectangular pieces of sheet aluminum 27 and a central square 28 whichmay also be of aluminum. All of the sheet aluminum pieces 27 and 28 maybe perforated with holes such as shown illustratively at 29 to permitthe easy flow of water through the pieces of sheet aluminum whichcompose the flooring surface, quarter inch holes being suitable.

The particular composition of the platform 22 is not critical providedthat the specific gravity of the composite platform structure issomewhat greater than the specific gravity of the fluid medium withinwhich it is disposed so that the platform is not free floating but willof its own weight move toward the bottom of the pool. In this regard, acomposite wood and metal platform can provide a very closely controlleddesired specific gravity. In any event, a foraminous platform surface ofsome type is preferred, although not mandatory, in order to providerelatively easy movement of fluid through the platform surface betweenthe volumes of fluid above and below the platform.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the body of the control valve is providedwith four external radially outwardly projecting ears 30 by means ofwhich the valve is rigidly secured in fixed position to the underside ofplatform section 28 by the spacer rods 31, nuts 32, and the nut and boltupper angle securements 33. Similarly, as best seen in FIG. 7, theballast tanks 24A through 24H are fixedly rigidly secured to theunderside of the platform section 27 by nut and bolt securements 34projected through ears 35 extending upward from the tank top wall andangles 36 extending downward from the platform sections 27.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 through 6, the control valve 23 is of generallycircular shape in horizontal cross section and is formed with eightequiangularly spaced ballast tank ports 37 formed in the sidewall 38 ofthe valve body. Threaded into the ports 37 and hermetically sealedagainst the valve body by means of a compression washer 39 and nut 40 isa hose fitting 41 upon the outer end of which is forced the end of oneof the hose lines 25A through 25H. The end of each hose line ishermetically contracted about the hose fitting 41 by a conventional hoseclamp 42. The valve body sidewall 38 between each pair of adjacent ports37 is formed with a generally triangularly shaped radially inwardlyextending wedge or projection 43, and the facing sides of these wedges43 proximate to the ports 37 together with the respectively above-lyingand below-lying valve body top wall 44 and valve body bottom wall 45 arecircularly recessed as at 46 to receive and hold captive therein aresilient O-ring 47.

The upper surface of the valve body bottom wall 45 is provided with acentral horizontal platform region 48 disposed at a level below that ofeach of the ports 37. Extending radially outward from the centralplatform 48 and sloping upward toward the ports 37 is theattitude-control-angle floor 49. It is the angular inclination of thefloor 49 which determines the angular control action of the valve 23, aswill be seen. A plurality of spherical balls 50 disposed within thevalve body 23 are normally seated on the central platform 48 when thelatter is in a horizontal position, and are free to roll outward acrossthe floor 49 when the valve body becomes inclined so that any portion ofthe floor 49 assumes an inclination other than horizontal with one ormore ports 37 being at least partially disposed at a lower elevationthan the central platform 48. This can of course only occur when theinclination of the valve body exceeds the inclination of the floor 49.Consequently, the angle at which the floor portion 49 is formeddetermines the attitude of the valve body which must be achieved inorder to cause movement of the spherical balls away from the centralplatform 48 and against the resilient O-ring 47 surrounding the insideof each port 37, and to thereby of course block off such port.

The valve body top wall 44 is provided with a central distributor port51 into which is threaded a hose fitting 52 of the same type as thepreviously described hose fitting 41, the hose fitting 52 beinghermetically sealed to the valve body top wall 44 by means of acompression washer 53 and nut 54. Spaced downward from and secured tothe undersurface of the valve body top wall 44 below the central port 51and above the valve body bottom wall platform 48 is a deflector disc 55which causes pressurized gas moving inward through the central port 51to be deflected radially outward through the interior of the valve bodyin a uniform manner while at the same time preventing the inflow ofpressurized gas from driving the spherical balls 50 off of the platformregion 48. A hydraulic hose line 56 is projected onto the end of thehose fitting 52 and hermetically contracted thereon by the hose clamp57.

The valve 23 is a twoway device permitting flow in two directions asdetermined by the relative pressure differences. During operation of thesystem according to the invention, when the line 56 is connected to ahigh pressure source of gas, such as compressed air, it acts as an inletline causing the gas to flow inward through the central port 51 and bedistributed outward through the side wall ports 37 to the ballast tanks24, such gas distribution being generally uniform unless an unbalancedcondition should occur as a consequence of tipping or inclination of theplatform 22.

If tipping should occur, the control valve body 23 will be also inclinedand the spherical balls 50 will roll off of the platform 48 and seal offthe outlet ports 37 which are in the low position, thus preventing airflow outward through such ports 37 to the ballast tanks which theysupply. From FIGS. 1, 4, and 6, however it is observed that each port 37feeds a ballast tank positioned diametrically across the valve body fromthat port so that the ballast tanks which have their gas supply shut offare precisely those tanks which are located on the high side of theplatform 22. As a consequence, these high tanks receive no more gasuntil the tanks on the low side of the platform 22 have beensufficiently pressurized to cause the low side of the platform to riseupward into substantial horizontal alignment with the formerly high sideballast tanks and thereby shift the attitude of the control valve 23back toward the horizontal and cause the spherical balls 50 to roll awayfrom the ports 37 and again allow the outflow of gas therethrough.

Gas pressurization of the ballast tanks 24A through 241-1 continues aslong as gas is being forced inward through hose line 56. When theplatform 22 has risen to the desired elevation, further pressurizationis stopped but the pressure must be maintained in the line either bycompressor action or by blocking the line 56, as with a shut-off valve,in order to prevent backflow through the line. When it is desired tolower the platform 22, the gas in the ballast tanks 24A through 24H isbled off by opening the line 56 so that the central port 51 then becomesan exhaust port while all of the sidewall ports 37 become inlet portsfeeding gas inward from the ballast tanks to the port 51. When theplatform 22 has descended to the desired depth, the line 56 may again beblocked to prevent further air bleed and stabilize the platform at thedesired elevation. Of course, the platform 22 may be allowed to settleentirely to the bottom if this is desired in which event there is noneed to block off line 56 since hose lines 25A to 25H will be blockedoff from liquid backflow at the ballast tanks in the manner now to bedescribed.

As best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, each of the ballast tanks 24A through24H, and as shown by representative tank 24D, is formed with a circulartop wall 58 from which depends a cylindrical side wall 59, the tankbottom being partially closed by a radially inwardly and downwardlyextending frusto-conical bottom wall 60 provided with a central circularbottom opening 61. Each of the hoses 25A through 25H is secured to aninlet float valve 62 by means of a hose clamp 63. The valve 62 issecured in the top wall 58 of the ballast tank 24D and permits thetwo-way flow of gas into and out of the tank but prevents the backflowof water or other liquid into the hose lines 25A through 25H when theliquid level within the ballast tank rises sufficiently to close thefloat check valve. The ballast tanks are internally reinforced by thecross-partitions 64 which extend partially upward from the bottom wall60 but stop short of the top wall 58 to provide intercommunication ofall four quadrants of the ballast tank to equalize the water level inthe quadrants. The ballast tanks of open bottom construction areprovided with a self-limiting tilt feature since inclination of a tankabove a predetermined critical angle causes air to spill out through thebottom. The critical angle is determined by the depth of sidewall 59 andthe radial extent of the bottom wall 60.

If desired, the platform may be stabilized at an angle inclined to thehorizontal by securing the control valve 23 and ballast tanks 24A to 24Hto the platform so that they are in their horizontally disposedpositions, as shown in FIG. 1, when the platform is inclined at thedesired angle. In the case of the control valve 23, two of the rods 31may bemade shorter than the remaining two to incline the valve, and asimilarexpedient could be adopted for the ballast tanks.

The flotation system is intended only as a means for positioning theplatform and is not intended to carry large or suddenly shifting massloads such as are encountered when numerous people might be using aswimming pool, and of course walking upon the platform. Mechanicalsupport is provided by the hangers 21, previously described, which maybe provided in sets of various lengths. In use, the platform is moved tothe desired position by the flotation system, the hangers are placed inposition, and the flotation is reduced or completely discharged so thatthe platform settles its weight downward upon the hangers and ismechanically stabilized.

Having now described my invention in connection with a particularlyillustrated embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated thatmodifications and variations of the invention may now occur from time totime to those persons normally skilled in the art without departing fromthe essential scope or spirit of the invention, and accordingly it isintended to claim the same broadly as well as specifically as indicatedby the appended claims.

What is claimed to be new and useful is:

1. An attitude controlled distributor valve comprising in combination,

a. a valve body,

b. at least three approximately horizontally co-planar ballast portsspaced peripherally about the valve body,

c. a distributor port communicating with said ballast ports within thevalve body,

d. first coupling means for coupling said distributor port to anexternal source of pressurized gas,

e. second coupling means for coupling said ballast ports to externaldevices to which it is desired to distribute gas, and

f. ballast ports closing means automatically operative to close anyballast ports disposed at a predetermined level lower than any otherballast port as a consequence of predetermined angular inclination ofsaid valve body.

2. A valve as described in claim 1 wherein said valve body comprises atop wall, a bottom wall, and a sidewall extending between said top andbottom walls and peripherally thereabout to form a chamber, said ballastports being spaced about and located in said sidewall, one side of eachballast port communicating with the inside of said chamber while theother side of each such port communicates with said second couplingmeans, said distributor port being located in said topwall with one sidecommunicating with the inside of said chamber while the other sidecommunicates with said first coupling means.

3. A valve as described in claim 1 wherein said ballast ports closingmeans are plural and fewer in number than the number of said ballastports.

4. A valve as described in claim 1 wherein the peripheral spacing ofsaid ballast ports about the valve body is equiangular.

5. A valve as described in claim 1 wherein said valve body comprises atop wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall extending between said top andbottom walls and peripherally thereabout to form a chamber, said ballastports being spaced about and located in said sidewall, one side of eachballast port communicating with the inside of said chamber while theother side of each such port communicates with said second couplingmeans, said distributor port being located in one of said walls with oneside communicating with the inside of said chamber while the other sidecommunicates with said first coupling means, said ballast ports closingmeans being a plurality of gravity actuated devices contained withinsaid valve body chamber.

6. A valve as described in claim 1 wherein said valve body comprises atop wall, a bottom wall, and a sidewall extending between said top andbottom walls and peripherally thereabout to form a chamber, said ballastports being spaced about and located in said sidewall, one side of eachballast port communicating with the inside of said chamber while theother side of each such port communicates with said second couplingmeans, said distributor port being located in one of said walls with oneside communicating with the inside of said chamber while the other sidecommunicates with said first coupling means, said bottom wall comprisinga depressed region disposed at a level below that of each of saidballast ports when the plane of the latter is approx- 7. A valve asdescribed in claim 2 wherein said ballast ports closing means are pluraland fewer in number than the number of said ballast ports.

8. A valve as described in claim 2 wherein the peripheral spacing ofsaid ballast ports about the valve body is equiangular.

1. An attitude controlled distributor valve comprising in combination,a. a valve body, b. at least three approximately horizontally co-planarballast ports spaced peripherally about the valve body, c. a distributorport communicating with said ballast ports within the valve body, d.first coupling means for coupling said distributor port to an externalsource of pressurized gas, e. second coupling means for coupling saidballast ports to external devices to which it is desired to distributegas, and f. ballast ports closing means automatically operative to closeany ballast ports disposed at a predetermined level lower than any otherballast port as a consequence of predetermined angular inclination ofsaid valve body.
 2. A valve as described in claim 1 wherein said valvebody comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, and a sidewall extendingbetween said top and bottom walls and peripherally thereabout to form achamber, said ballast ports being spaced about and located in saidsidewall, one side of each ballast port communicating with the inside ofsaid chamber while the other side of each such port communicates withsaid second coupling means, said distributor port being located in saidtopwall with one side communicating with the inside of said chamberwhile the other side communicates with said first coupling means.
 3. Avalve as described in claim 1 wherein said ballast ports closing meansare plural and fewer in number than the number of said ballast ports. 4.A valve as described in claim 1 wherein the peripheral spacing of saidballast ports about the valve body is equiangular.
 5. A valve asdescribed in claim 1 wherein said valve body comprises a top wall, abottom wall, and a sidewall extending between said top and bottom wallsand peripherally thereabout to form a chamber, said ballast ports beingspaced about and located in said sidewall, one side of each ballast portcommunicating with the inside of said chamber while the other side ofeach such port communicates with said second coupling means, saiddistributor port being located in one of said walls with one sidecommunicating with the inside of said chamber while the other sidecommunicates with said first coupling means, said ballast ports closingmeans being a plurality of gravity actuated devices contained withinsaid valve body chamber.
 6. A valve as described in claim 1 wherein saidvalve body comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, and a sidewall extendingbetween said top and bottom walls and peripherally thereabout to form achamber, said ballast ports being spaced about and located in saidsidewall, one side of each ballast port communicating with the inside ofsaid chamber while the other side of each such port communicates withsaid second coupling means, said distributor port being located in oneof said walls with one side communicating with the inside of saidchamber while the other side communicates with said first couplingmeans, said bottom wall comprising a depressed region disposed at alevel below that of each of said ballast ports when the plane of thelatter is approximately horizontal and a sloping region sloping upwardtoward each of said ballast ports at predetermined inclination, and saidballast ports closing means comprising a plurality of free rolling ballsseated in said depressed region, said balls being free to roll outwardwhen said valve body is tilted and block any of said ballast portsdisposed at a predetermined lower elevation than said depressed region.7. A valve as described in claim 2 wherein said ballast ports closingmeans are plural and fewer in number than the number of said ballastports.
 8. A valve as described in claim 2 wherein the peripheral spacingof said ballast ports about the valve body is equiangular.